Animal-rights backers file complaint against Ringling

December 17, 2009|By EloM-msa Ruano GonzM-alez, Orlando Sentinel

Animal-rights advocates filed another complaint with a federal agency against the giant Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Activists with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals on Wednesday used a news conference in downtown Orlando to shed light on their allegations of animal cruelty at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation in Polk City. The circus will perform at Amway Arena on Jan. 15 and Jan. 16.

In a complaint filed this month with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, PETA said trainers tortured young elephants using "barbaric" tools such as bull hooks and electrical-shock devices to teach them circus tricks.

PETA activists obtained pictures and a lengthy statement from former employee Sammy Haddock Jr., which they say is "undeniable evidence" that the center violated the Animal Welfare Act -- allegations which Ringling disputes.

"The pictures speak for themselves. The babies are bound with rope," said Debbie Leahy, a director with PETA.

Roughly 50 pictures and Haddock's statement were submitted to the USDA. The federal agency plans to send an inspector in "the near future" to the facility to determine whether it violated any animal-protection laws, agency spokesman Dave Sacks said. He said the last Ringling incident was in 2001, when an elephant died while traveling. He said Ringling was forced to "enhance its continuing-educational training program for animal handlers." It also donated a total of $20,000 to an elephant sanctuary and research facility. No other issues have come up, he said.

Ringling trainers snapped similar pictures, said Janice Aria, the center's animal-stewardship training director. Aria said PETA misconstrued the images of young elephants' legs, trunks and bellies wrapped with rope -- pictures her trainers snapped to document the training process. They are common practices used in the industry to train the hefty animals -- which can weigh more than 1,500 pounds -- and ensure the safety of handlers, she explained.

"We are very transparent about these pictures and make no apologies," Aria said.

The pictures submitted to the USDA were taken while Haddock, who died last month from liver failure, worked at the facility on and off between 1997 and 2005, helping trainers, Leahy said. "What he did with the elephants personally, and watched others do to the elephants, ate at him," she said.

Aria said Haddock never complained to his supervisors and gave his former boss a bull hook as a gift shortly before his death.